The subject matter herein relates generally to daughter card assemblies in communication systems.
Some communication systems, such as servers, routers, and data storage systems, utilize connector assemblies for transmitting signals and/or power through the system. Such systems may include a midplane circuit board, a motherboard, and a plurality of daughter cards. The systems may also include one or more mating connectors attached to the motherboard that is configured to interconnect a daughter card to the motherboard when the daughter card is inserted into the system. The daughter card includes connector modules that are mounted to a circuit board. The connector modules are configured to engage corresponding mating connectors of the motherboard. The connector modules may be positioned on or near a leading edge of the daughter card. Prior to being mated, the connector modules and the mating connectors are aligned with each other and face each other along a mating axis. The daughter card is then moved along the mating axis until the connector modules and the mating connectors are engaged.
However, in some cases, the circuit board that defines the daughter card on which the connector modules are mounted may bow (or warp) along the leading edge and/or shrink. The bowing and shrinking may occur during the manufacture of the daughter card or during the lifetime operation of the daughter card and may affect the shape and/or effective length of the leading edge. When the circuit board changes due to bowing or shrinking, the position of the connector modules may be affected to such an extent that the connector modules can no longer properly align with the mating connectors. Known daughter cards utilize a stiffener assembly that is coupled to the circuit board and attaches to a back side of each of the connector modules. However, such stiffener assemblies may reduce an amount of available real estate along the daughter card behind the connector modules. Furthermore, known daughter cards may lack suitable mechanisms for aligning the connector modules with the mating connectors.
Accordingly, there is a need for a daughter card assembly that provides a mechanism for aligning the connector modules with the mating connectors without consuming significant space on the daughter card.